Conformational analysis of mono- and di-C-substituted derivatives ofcloso-3,3-[η2,3-(2-methylenebicyclo[2.2.1]hepta-2,5-dien-2-yl)]-1-R-2-R1-3,1,2-dicarbollylrhodium (R and R1=h, Me, or PhCH2)-(2-methylenebicyclo[2.2.1]hepta-2,5-dien-2-yl)]-1-R-2-R1-3,1,2-dicarbollylrhodium (R and R1=h, Me, or PhCH2)

A model has been developed that allows one to carry out molecular mechanics calculations of metallacarborane complexes with various ligands with the use of the MM3 program package. Based on X-ray structural data on a number of rhodium complexes in which the rhodium atom is coordinated by the η2,3-norbornadienyl and η5-dicarbollyl ligands, a parameter set was developed for the compounds of the above-mentioned series. The use of this model made it possible to study the effects of various factors on the structures of the molecules ofcloso-3,3-(η2,3-methylenenorbornadienyl)-1-R-3, 1,2-dicarbollylrhodium (R=Alk or ArAlk).